Songdo Eco Center to Become the "Second London Wetland Centre"
Aiming for Completion by 2030 as a World-Class Healing Destination in Incheon
The alternative bird habitat in Songdo International City, Incheon, will be developed into a world-class healing destination, modeled as the second London Wetland Centre.
On August 28, the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority held the first meeting of the special task force for promoting the Songdo International Eco Center (tentative name) as a global healing landmark at Songdo G Tower.
The Songdo Eco Center, which is being developed as a requirement of the environmental impact assessment for the Songdo reclamation project, is a large-scale artificial wetland covering approximately 177,497 square meters near the northern research complex of Songdo District 11-2. The design and construction will proceed alongside the development of infrastructure for District 11-2, with the goal of completion by 2030.
The Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority plans to use the United Kingdom's London Wetland Centre, known as "the oasis of London" and a model for a sustainable city that balances nature and development, as its benchmark for this project.
The London Wetland Centre is located in the heart of London along the Thames River. It is a restored wetland created from an artificial reservoir that was once used as a water source. Covering about 430,000 square meters, it features over 30 themed wetland areas, resulting in high levels of avian and biological diversity. By dismantling concrete reservoirs and restoring them as natural wetlands, the site now serves purposes such as ecosystem conservation, environmental purification, and education.
The Songdo Eco Center will be developed with three main zones: a core area consisting of freshwater wetlands, brackish wetlands, and water purification wetlands; a buffer zone featuring a water forest belt and concealed birdwatching facilities; and a cooperation zone where a wetland center will be established for exhibitions, experiential and educational programs, as well as monitoring and research activities.
Starting with this meeting, the task force agreed to collaborate in various fields such as ecosystem and environmental conservation, wetland management, tourism and educational program operation, and infrastructure integration. The task force is headed by the head of the Songdo Project Headquarters of the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority and consists of 28 members from 14 organizations, including departments from Incheon City, Yeonsu District, Namdong District, the Korea Polar Research Institute, and the Incheon Research Institute's Carbon Neutrality Center.
Ham Donggeun, head of the Songdo Project Headquarters at the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, stated, "The Songdo International Eco Center, as a world-class large-scale artificial wetland, will play a pivotal role in creating a global sustainable city where citizens can thrive. We will do our utmost to ensure the success of this project through close cooperation with various organizations."
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